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Letter to the Editor

Finding Bargains

Our feature article this month places some valuable bargain-hunting clues at your fingertips. Today, more than ever before, a body shop owner does not have money to throw away. Fierce competition, rising fuel costs, pricey shipping fees, required expensive equipment, soaring health care expenses - the list of business expenses keeps growing. The budget has absolutely no room for another big pricetag item, even if useful. Read this article carefully and save! We have tracked down some “Information on the Cheap” for your shopping pleasure.

In April, INSIGHT reported a consolidation in the estimating system arena, with the merging of CCC Information Systems and Mitchell Inter-national. This month, the consolidation news is from the Insurance Industry. Liberty Mutual Group has announced steps taken to acquire Safeco Corporation (See page 3.).

Upon completion of the transaction, Liberty Mutual, located in New England, will become the fifth largest property and casualty insurer in the U.S. when Seattle-based Safeco comes onboard.

The big news out of the recent CIC session in Philadelphia (See page 17.) is the struggle to work out a concensus among industry participants on the complex issue of how used and recycled parts should be priced. As things stand now, the situation cries out for a common sense fix that will, hopefully, improve both the shop’s bottom line and the insurer - repair facility - recycled parts dealer relationship.

INSIGHT has been hearing the nasty word “steering” from collision repair facilities around the country again within these past several weeks. If insurers are telling your potential customers where to go, we want to hear from you. Check out the contact information below. Steering is definitely no bargain.

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